I'm kinda ok on the rooster front, all are grown up and no fighting issues, but could do with fewer which would reduce the number of coops I need to maintain (some more jerky ones are on the hit list for after the holidays). My city came up with a new chicken ordinance recently which is REALLY reasonable (esp. compared to the previous one), and without a business license as a breeder I can have up to 50 chickens with a 10 to 1 ratio of hens to roosters (with a $25 permit per year - no permit needed for up to 8). No, I'm not in compliance, but I'm close, and fortunately, they are only enforcing it if there are nuisance complaints (e.g., like a barking dog complaint). I have a plan in my head if I had to suddenly comply - a number of boys would have to go. I've read the whole text of the ordinance, it's very appropriate re: housing requirements (down to roost space you have to provide per bird etc. - clearly focused on bird wellbeing), and a lot of it is targeted at thwarting potential cockfighting operations. (Local chicken people had a lot of input on it.)
Gone
